Telecom and consumer protection language in the House Commerce Committee’s portion of the Build Back Better Act budget reconciliation package got limited attention Monday, the first day of the committee’s markup. Democratic leaders highlighted potential benefits, including the proposed $10 billion for next-generation 911 tech upgrades, $4 billion for the FCC emergency connectivity fund and $1 billion to fund a new FTC privacy bureau. Some GOP leaders criticized the additional ECF money, as expected (see 2109100063).
President Joe Biden is expected to swiftly follow up his Monday nomination of Alvaro Bedoya as an FTC commissioner by announcing his pick of Mozilla Foundation Senior Adviser Alan Davidson for NTIA administrator (see 2108020061), Democratic Capitol Hill aides and telecom industry lobbyists told us. Bedoya is expected to replace Commissioner Rohit Chopra as the third FTC Democrat. Chopra awaits Senate confirmation to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. FTC Chair Lina Khan, consumer advocates and USTelecom welcomed the pick. See also our news bulletin here.
The time could be ripe for the FCC to take on receiver standards, an issue that has been before the agency for 20 years, Commissioner Nathan Simington told a Silicon Flatirons virtual conference Friday. Others said developing standards is tough for regulators because of how quickly technology evolves.
The FCC got pushback from some satellite operators for creating different subcategories of non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) regulatory fees, with different fee amounts. Any challenge to that aspect of the FY 2021 regulatory fee order adopted late last month (see 2108270072) is in limbo, satellite industry officials told us last week. Industry lawyers said there's no impetus to mount a protest or rejoinder now since it seemingly won't affect payments this cycle because the fees are due later this month. Challenge to the NGSO subcategories could after the order's publication.
If the FTC withdraws from its joint vertical merger guidelines with DOJ, it could cause friction between the two agencies and fuel legal arguments for opponents, former commission officials said in interviews last week. Commissioners are expected to withdraw from the agency's June 2020 joint guidelines with DOJ at a commission meeting Wednesday (see 2109080060). The guidelines would remain in effect for DOJ unless the department also acts.
House Commerce Committee Republicans are unlikely to make the $4 billion in broadband money included in committee Democrats’ portion of the Build Back Better Act budget reconciliation package a centerpiece of their opposition to the measure but are expected to file at least some amendments to it, Capitol Hill aides and lobbyists told us. The legislation includes $10 billion for next-generation 911 tech upgrades, $1 billion to fund a new FTC privacy bureau and authorizes an FCC auction of at least 200 MHz of spectrum on the 3.1-3.45 GHz band, as expected (see 2109090067). House Commerce said it will begin marking up the measure at 11 a.m. EDT Monday in 2123 Rayburn.
The satellite megaconstellation boom and growing use of small satellites won't present undue spectrum coordination challenges, though other emerging space applications could pose bigger potential problems, said Alexandre Vallet, ITU Radiocommunication Bureau's Space Services Department chief. “We may have to see how to make some room” for geostationary satellites increasingly being envisioned by nations that want to kick-start their own domestic space industry, he told a Silicon Flatirons conference Thursday.
The FCC provided details on its proposal to reshape the rules for the 4.9 GHz band, adopted 3-2 last year, in a draft report and Further NPRM posted Thursday and set for a commissioner vote Sept. 30 (see 2109080081). The item examines sharing the spectrum, while giving public safety priority access similar to FirstNet.
FCC acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel called text telephone (TTY) “outdated” technology for the deaf and hearing impaired and said the agency will push the use of real-time text (RTT) on wireline networks. Rosenworcel, like past chairs, pledged to make disability issues a top focus. “The FCC is committed to meaningful stakeholder engagement, to ensure modern communications, accessibility gaps are both identified and addressed,” she told the Disability Advisory Committee Thursday. The virtual meeting was the first since February (see 1909240058).
The Senate half of a major California broadband proposal passed the legislature Thursday. Senators voted 29-8 without debate to concur with Assembly amendments to SB-4, which narrowly passed the other chamber Wednesday amid opposition by cable industry and other business interests. Senators later Thursday voted 28-8 to pass companion measure AB-14, which would still need final Assembly approval by Friday, the last day of session. Supporters expected Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) to sign the bills to extend and update the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF).